Circular knitting machine for multicolored plush

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a circular knitting machine for multicolored plush. A plush sinker ( 113 ) is provided with at least two planes ( 90, 91 ) for kinking loop threads of different loop length. The knocking-over sinker ( 112 ) has a bill comprising at least two webs ( 96, 97 ) for restretching pile loops of different loop length. Plush knitted goods having plush loops of different heights and different colors can be produced by means of said circular knitting machine. Knitted goods being combined of epinglé and velour can thus be produced by shearing the longer plush loops.

The present invention relates to a plush-knitting sinker for a circularknitting machine, a holding-down sinker and knock-over sinker for acircular knitting machine, as well as a circular knitting machine inaccordance with the introductory clause of claim 3. Moreover, thepresent invention relates to a knit plush fabric including a base knitfabric formed by a base yarn and piles projecting from the base knitfabric.

Knit fabrics are known to be provided with yarn loops projecting on oneor both sides from the base fabric. Such knit fabric is referred to asplush. When the loops projecting from the base fabric are left as closedloops a so-called pile surface, also referred to as “épinglée” surfaceis created. It is likewise possible to cut of the turns of the loops sothat separate yarns are left that project from the base fabric. In sucha case, a so-called pile fabric or velour is obtained.

The projection of plush knit fabric may be realized in particular in acircular knitting machine. Circular knitting machines of the known typecomprise the following elements:

(a) a row of needles in circular arrangement for forming the stitchesand loops, whose rising and lowering movement is controlled by a liftingcam or needle lock along a needle cam;

(b) a holding-down and knock-over sinker (hereinafter briefly referredto as down sinker) as well as a piling sinker, with the down sinker andthe piling sinker being disposed in parallel with each other between tworespective needles and being able to carry out a reciprocating movementhorizontal relative to the needles, which movement is controlled by asinker lock along a first sinker cam for the holding-down and knock-oversinker and another sinker cam for the piling sinker;

(c) control elements for needle selection in correspondence with thepattern, with the selection of a needle resulting in the fact that theneedle follows the needle cam present at its instantaneous locationwhilst a non-selected needle remains in a home position (circularmovement position);

(d) yarn guiding means for feeding a base yarn as well as at least twoloop or pile yarns for producing the pile loops.

It is possible in such a circular knitting machine it is possible topredetermine, for a particular stitch of the produced knitting, via thecontrol elements whether a pile loop is to be formed or not with thefirst and/or the second pile yarn for this stitch. The production of apile loop takes place only when the needle associated with theparticular stitch is selected by the control elements when it passesalong the respective stitch at the respective loop yarn. The use ofdifferent yarns for the loop yarns permits the production of pile loopsof different colors or of different yarn qualities.

The height of the pile loops projecting from the base fabric iscontrolled by means of the piling sinker in the circular knittingmachine, above whose upper edge the loop yarn is retained while theneedle draws down a loop out of the yarn (so-called pre-couliering).

Further details of the structure and of the mode of operation ofcircular knitting machines may be read, for example, in the book“Rundstricken—Theorie und Praxis der Maschentechnik” [Circularknitting—theory and practice of stitch techniques] by Iyer, Mammel,Schaech—Bamberg: Meisenbach (1991.

The present invention has been based on the problem of providing a knitplush fabric and a circular knitting machine suitable for producingsame, with the knitting being intended to present a novel structure ofgood visual appearance.

This problem is solved by a piling sinker for a circular knittingmachine, which is characterized by the feature that it comprises atleast two planes for couliering a pile loop. As has been explained inthe foregoing, the height level of the upper edge of a piling sinkerdetermines the length of a pile loop. Conventional piling sinkers areprovided with a single upper edge only for couliering the pile loop yarnso that the loop length (also referred to as pile height) is the samefor all plush pile loops. In the inventive piling sinker, by contrast,two planes are formed on the piling sinker for couliering a pile loopyarn, which are located at different levels and result accordingly indifferent pile heights of the pile loop yarns couliered above therespective plane. Which plane is used for couliering a pile loop yarnmay be determined by the extent of the radial advance of the pilingsinker. The plane used for couliering must be advanced here up to theneedle circle.

Due to the use of the inventive piling sinker, it is possible to producepile loops of different pile heights. The use of the piling sinker in acircular knitting machine suitable to operate with at least two pileloop yarns hence permits the production of pile loops of differentheights from respective different yarn materials. The production of sucha knit fabric has so far neither been known nor was it possible.

The present invention moreover relates to a holding-down and knock-oversinker (hereinafter briefly referred to as down sinker) for a circularknitting machine, which is characterized by the feature that itcomprises at least two planes for tensioning a pile loop yarn. Such adown sinker may be used in a circular knitting machine of theaforementioned type for tensioning pile loop yarns forming pile loops ofdifferent pile heights. Tensioning the pile loop yarns of pile lops isknown on principle and serves to ensure a strong and even seating of thepile loops in the base fabric. For permitting the tensioning function,the down sinker is provided with a beak that takes up again the pileloops of several courses formed earlier and tensions them slightly sothat their anchoring in the base fabric will be improved and their pileheight will be evened. The upper edge of the beak constitutes the planefor tensioning of the pile loops so that their height level mustcorrespond to the pile height of the pile loops.

In the known down sinkers, only a single plane is provided at a givenlevel for tensioning the pile loops. In the inventive down sinker, bycontrast, at least two planes are provided for tensioning the pile loopyarn so that this down sinker can also be used in the production of aknit fabric with pile loops of different pile heights.

The present invention moreover relates to a circular knitting machinefor the production of plush-type knit fabric, which comprises thefollowing elements:

(a) needles for forming stitches and pile loops, whose rising andlowering movement is controlled by a lifting cam lock along a needlecam;

(b) a down and knock-over sinker as well as a piling sinker, which aredisposed in parallel with each other and whose reciprocating movementhorizontal relative to the needles or the needle movement, respectively,is controlled by a sinker lock along a respective sinker cam for thedown sinker or the piling sinker, respectively,

(c) control elements for needle selection in correspondence with thepattern, with a selected needle following the needle cam present at itslocation,

(d) yarn guiding means for feeding a base yarn as well as at least twoloop or pile yarns.

The circular knitting machine is characterized by the provision that itcomprises a piling sinker of the aforementioned kind. Due to its twoplanes for couliering a pile loop yarn, such a piling sinker permits theproduction of a plush-type knit fabric with different loop lengths (pileheights), with the possibility that the pile loops of different lengthsmay additionally be distinguished from each other by the material of thepile loop yarn (i.e. in terms of yarn quality, color, etc.).

The aforementioned circular knitting machine preferably comprisesmoreover a down sinker of the above-explained kind, which presents atleast two planes for tensioning a pile loop yarn. With such a downsinker it is possible to ensure that the different pile loop systems ofdifferent pile heights will all be tensioned individually and that theyare hence all fixedly anchored in the base fabric.

Eventually, the invention relates to a plush knit fabric with a baseknit fabric formed by a base yarn and with pile loops projecting fromthe base knit fabric. The plush knit fabric is characterized by theprovision that there are at least two groups of pile loops, with thepile loops of one group being distinguished by those of the othergroup(s) by their pile height and type of yarn. On account of thedifferent pile heights of the pile loops, this plush knit fabricpresents an esthetically attractive structure high/low appearance thatis additionally enhanced by the fact that the pile loops of differentheights are formed of different materials, which may encompass differentcolors, in particular.

The plush knit fabric is preferably processed by shearing off the higherpile loops so that two terminal yarns are created from each pile loop,which project from the base fabric. As in accordance with the presentinvention only the higher pile loops are clipped the lower pile loopsare left as loops, without being cut open, thus forming a so-calledépinglée material. As a whole, the plush knit fabric hence constitutes amixture of velour and épinglée in its structure, with the two base yarnsystem materials being possibly distinguished from each other by theirkind and by their color in particular.

In the following, the invention will be explained in an exemplary formwith reference to the Figures wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic detail from a circularly knit fabric;

FIG. 2 is a schematic detail from a plush knit fabric with pile loops ofdifferent pile heights and in different colors;

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of the course of the yarn on acircular knitting machine as well as a system group consisting of a basesystem and two pile loop systems;

FIG. 4 shows a perspective detail of a circular knitting machine for aclearer explanation of the relative movement of down sinkers andneedles;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the lifting cams of a system group as well asthe associated needle cam;

FIG. 6 shows a sectional view taken through the lifting cam along theline A—A in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 illustrates a system group including a base yarn and one pileloop yarn;

FIG. 8 shows a system group including a base yarn and three pile loopyarns;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the sinker cams of a system group as well asthe associated sinker cams for the down sinker and the piling sinker, aswell as furthermore a sectional view taken through a sinker cam alongthe line IX—IX;

FIG. 10 is a parallel view of the needle cam as well as the sinker camsof the down sinker and the piling sinker for a system group X;

FIGS. 11 to 20 illustrate the cooperation of needles and the down sinkeras well as the piling sinker in realizing a system group;

FIG. 21 shows an inventive piling sinker; and

FIG. 22 is a view of an inventive down and knock-over sinker.

For an explanation of the language used here, FIG. 1 is a schematic viewof a detail from a circularly knit fabric. In the center of theillustration, an individual stitch 20 is shown as a component of theknitting, which is emphasized in black. The stitch 20 consists of astitch loop that is held by its two lower ends (the butts or bases) bythe head of the stitch of the preceding stitch loop and whose stitchhead, in its turn, holds the bases of the following stitch. This createsa dimensionally stable knitting altogether. The knitting is subdividedinto stitch courses 23 in the horizontal direction (machine direction ofthe yarn) and into wales 24 in the vertical direction.

The continuation of the yarns constituting the knitting is roughlyindicated for a circularly knit fabric by a dotted line of continuation21 for a first yarn and a continuous line of continuation 22 for asecond yarn. It is apparent from this illustration that the yarnscirculate in the manner of spirals. To accelerate the knitting operationand possibly also for the creation of patterns, two or generally evenmore yarns may constitute spirals extending in parallel with each otherand interleaved into each other, as is roughly indicated by the exampleof two yarns 21, 22 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic detail from an inventive plush knitfabric. The illustrated lower course of stitches consists here of threeyarns principally extending in parallel; in particular, these are thebase yarn G, which forms the base knit fabric or base fabric, and twodifferent pile loop yarns F1 and F2 that extend in parallel therewithand may consist, in particular, of different materials of differentcolors. Seen from the left to the right side, the pile loop yarn F1(dotted line) follows the base yarn G in the first stitch, and then,however, it forms a loop on the connecting piece between the firststitch and the second stitch (so-called sinker stitch), which must beimagined as projecting from the base fabric upwards and which isreferred to as so-called pile loop 32. The formation of such pile loopsis known on principle and results in a so-called épinglée structure. Inthe further course, the first pile loop yarn F1 follows the base yarn Gin parallel in the second stitch and in the third stitch.

When seen from the left to the right side, the second pile loop yarn F2(broken line) extends equally in parallel with the base yarn in thefirst stitch, but then it remains in parallel with the base yarn G tothe second stitch through which it follows the base yarn G in parallel.It forms a pile loop 31 between the second stitch and the third stitch.Subsequently to this pile loop 31, the pile loop yarn F2 follows thebase yarn again through the third stitch.

What is important in the knitting according to FIG. 2 is the fact thatthe first pile loop 32 and the second pile loop 31 present differentpile heights (loop lengths) and that they consist additionally ofdifferent yarns F1 and F2 that may be different from each other, forinstance by their color. This opens designing clearances that permit anesthetically attractive high/low structure of the plush knit fabric withépinglée in different pile heights and of different colors.

It is furthermore possible to process the knit fabric subsequently byshearing and to cut the loops of the longer pile loops 31 open along aparting line 33. As a result, the pile loops 31, which are initiallyclosed, become individual yarns projecting out of the base fabric andforming a so-called velour structure. In the inventive knit fabric,hence an épinglée of a first color can be combined with velour of asecond color (or yarn quality).

FIG. 3 outlines the mode of operation of a circular knitting machineschematically. What can be seen here is the fundamental course of thebase yarn G and of two pile loop yarns F1 and F2 belonging to a firstso-called system group X. This means that these three yarns of onecourse of stitches are processed together, as is illustrated in FIG. 2,for instance.

The yarns G, F1, F2, which come from the right side in FIG. 3, extend inthe form of spirals along the hose-type circularly knit fabricaltogether. This means that the three yarns at the left end of FIG. 3retreat into the background and return in spirals to the right edge ofFIG. 3 where they arrive at the points correspondingly identified by G,F1 and F2.

The yarns G′, F1′ and F2′ of a second system group follow an analogouscourse. The two yarn systems G, F1, F1 as well as G′, F1′ and F2′, whichextend in parallel and in the form of spirals, hence correspond to thetwo separate yarns 21 and 22 of FIG. 1. Further yarn systems associatedwith further system groups are roughly indicted by dots.

Moreover, FIG. 3 shows in a schematic form that the respective yarns G,F1, F2 as well as G′, F1′ and F2′ extend towards yarn feeder means 40 or41, respectively, where supplies of the respective materials are kept onreels and from where they are supplied to the respective processinglocation on the circular knitting machine via a yarn guide.

FIG. 3 moreover illustrates a schematic of the needles 10 of a so-calledsystem group X, which extend in parallel and orthogonally on the yarns.The system group X consists of a base system G1 whose needles realizethe knitting of the base yarn G, as well as two pile loop systems H1 andH2 that knit the first pile loop yarn F1 or the second pile loop yarnF2, respectively, in the respective course of stitches.

The system group X illustrated in FIG. 3 must be imagined to becontinued to the left and the right sides by further system groupsdisposed along a circular path (so-called needle circle). The adjacentsystem group on the right side (which is not illustrated) serves to knitthe three yarns G′, F1′ and F2′.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of two needles 10 a, 10 b as well as of twodown sinkers 12 a, 12 b and two piling sinkers 13 a, 13 b. Such analternating sequence of needles and sinkers must be imagined to extendall around the needle circle 18 in the circular knitting machine so thateach wale is processed by precisely one needle.

The needles 10 a, 10 b as well as the sinkers 12 a, 12 b, 13 a, 13 btogether with the knit fabric perform a circulating movement along theneedle circle 18, on the one hand, which is roughly indicated by thearrow 1 in FIG. 4. During this circular movement, the needles 10 a, 10 bmove additionally up and down (double arrow) in order to catch the yarn50, if applicable, when they pass a stationary yarn guide 51 and inorder to coulier above the upper edges of the down sinkers 12 a, 12 b,which means that they form a loop of this yarn. This loop may then bedrawn particularly through the stitch formed last by the needle 10 a or10 b, respectively, by which action the stitch mentioned last is knockedover and a new stitch is formed from the yarn 50. Such stitch formationfrom the yarn 50 takes place only when the needle 10 a or 10 b,respectively, has been driven out for catching the yarn 50 incorrespondence with a pattern-dependent control program. When, bycontrast, a needle remains in the so-called circular movement positionit does not catch the yarn 50 that extends as floater along therespective wale.

The down sinkers 12 a, 12 b and the piling sinkers 13 a, 13 b may bereciprocated in a direction orthogonal on the needles 10 a, 10 b (doublearrow) in order to provide the respective required edge level on theneedle circle for support of the yarn 50 or the knit fabric,respectively, in this manner. One respective down sinker and onerespective piling sinker are guided in parallel with a sinker passage.

In the following, the concrete realization of a circular knittingmachine will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 10, which issuitable for the production of the knit fabric illustrated in FIG. 2 inthe case of application of a piling sinker 113 according to FIG. 21 anda down sinker 112 according to FIG. 22. The illustration is intended topresent a fundamental explanation of the production of a two-coloredplush material, which is hence manufactured by means of down sinkers 12or piling sinkers 13, respectively, in correspondence with prior art.

The machine chosen for the production of the combined épinglée velourknitting is a straight stitch/purl stitch circular knitting machine withan electronically controlled single needle selector. Such a machineserves to produce straight stitch/purl stitch shear plush pile fabricswith jacquard pattern. A special characteristic of these knit fabrics isthe particular processing of several pile loop yarns (pile or plushyarns) within a base yarn course. The pile loop yarns are knit byselected needles to form pile loops. When a needle is not selected thepile loop yarn constitutes a floater that is cut off when the knitfabric is finished.

The formation of a stitch and a pile loop in a course of stitches takesplace within a system group of the circular knitting machine. Onerespective base system and one to five pile loop systems constitute acourse of stitches. The number of the pile loop systems in a systemgroup is determined by the number of the plush colors to be processed.The pile loops and stitches are formed by a dual sinker technique inwhich each sinker passage guides one piling sinker and one holding-downand knock-over sinker.

The lower part of FIG. 5 illustrates a side view on the operator side ofthe so-called cylinder cam of the circular kitting machine. The cylindercam surrounds the circular knitting machine once along a circular pathand is subdivided into individual segments 17. The segments containso-called cam passages on their inner side (which is not visible in FIG.5), in which a needle 10 with a corresponding base is guided in order tofollow the vertical course of the cam passage, which creates the desiredup and down movement of the needle 10.

The needle guiding action is understood better from FIG. 6 that shows across-sectional view taken along the line VI—VI in FIG. 5. There, aneedle 10 can be seen that is supported in a vertical passage in thecylinder 19. The cylinder 19 rotates as the circular knitting machineoperates, carrying along the needle 10 as well as the knit fabricsuspended therefrom. The cylinder cam is disposed in a stationaryarrangement relative to the rotating cylinder 19, and consists of thelifting cam N1 and the control sinker cam S2. In the aforementioned campassage on the inner side of the lifting cam N1 engages the needle 10 byhooking one base thereof and is hence moved up and down incorrespondence with the vertical extension of the cam passage when arelative movement is brought about between the cylinder 19 and thecylinder cam.

The up and down movement of the needle 10, which is achieved in thismanner, is illustrated in FIG. 5 above the cylinder cam by the so-calledcylinder needle cam or briefly needle cam 66. It is obvious from thisillustration that the cylinder cam can be combined in functionallyindependent system groups X in the peripheral direction of the circularknitting machine. Each system group X begins with a base system G1 thatis joined by one, two, three or more pile loop systems H1, H2, H3,depending on the number of colors of the pile loops. A system group withtwo pile loop systems is illustrated in FIG. 5 whereas a system group Xwith a single pile loop system H1 is shown in FIG. 7 and a system groupX with three pile loop systems H1, H2, H3 is illustrated in FIG. 8. Incorrespondence therewith, a single-color plus fabric can be producedwith the cylinder needle cam according to FIG. 7 whilst the cylinderneedle cam of FIG. 5 serves to produce a two-colored plus and thecylinder needle cam of FIG. 8 is used to produce a three-colored plusfabric.

The base system G1 is associated with the processing (knitting) of abase yarn G. In the pile loop system H1, a first pile loop yarn F1 of afirst color is processed whilst, in correspondence, in the second andpossibly in the third pile loop system H2 or H3, respectively, a secondor third pile loop yarn is processed, which has a second or third color.The base system and the pile loop systems in each system group cooperatewith each other to constitute a course of plush loop stitches, with eachstitch of the course preferably including a pile loop (cf. FIG. 2).

The needles 10 as well as the down sinkers 12 and piling sinkers 13 movethrough the cylinder cam illustrated in FIG. 5, from the right to theleft side in the direction of the arrow 1. The cylinder cam shown inFIGS. 5 and 6 performs two supplementary functions with respect to theneedles 10, specifically:

(a) controlling and guiding the needles 10, and

(b) selecting, controlling and guiding the control sinkers 11.

The function (a) is carried out in the upper cam region, in the liftingcam N1, whereas the partial function (b) is carried out in the lower camregion, i. e. the control sinker cam S2. In detail, the lifting cam N1and the control sinker cam S2 in the systems G1, H1 and H2 perform thefollowing functions:

Base system G1, region of the control sinker cam S2:

Cam region for guiding the control sinkers 11 in a circular movement.The control sinkers pass through the cam in the circular movementposition and are prepared for the pattern selection on the followingpile loop system H1.

Base system G1, region of the lifting cam N1:

Seen along the direction of operation of the machine, the base system G1presents initially a stitch-knitting region G1.X in the lifting cam N1and a joining needle drive-out and needle retraction region G1.1. Bothregions G1.X and G1.1 are combined in a base system G1.

Stitch knitting region G1.X:

The stitch-knitting region G1.X is the terminal region of each systemgroup X. In this region, the stitches and pile loops of a course ofstitches, which have been prepared in the preceding system group X, arecompletely formed and knocked over in this region.

Needle drive-out and needle retraction region G1.1:

The needle drive-out and needle retraction region G1.1 is the beginningof a system group X. All the needles are lifted into the knittingposition and seize the base yarn during their draw-in movement. Thestitches of the base yarn course are prepared by pre-couliering the baseyarn to form loops. The needles are merely drawn off the needle up totucking. The old stitch is not knocked over, it remains on the closedtongue of the needle.

Pile loop system H1, region of the control sinker cam S2:

Cam region for selecting, guiding and controlling the control sinkers 11into the circular movement or knitting position. The control sinkerslift the associated needles 10 into the knitting position or leave themin the circular movement position.

Pile loop system H1, region of the lifting cam N1:

The cam region for lifting and controlling the needles 10 into thecircular movement or knitting position. Needles lifted into the knittingposition seize the pile loop yarn of color 1, form a pile loop and arethen drawn off up to tucking on the needle. Needles guided in a circularmovement form a floater with color 1.

The lower left part of FIG. 9 shows the plan view of the operator sideof a sinker cam for the system group X from FIG. 5. The sinker cam issubdivided into individual segments 16 that present grooves on theirinner side (not illustrated), which present the extension illustrated inthe upper part of FIG. 9 in correspondence with the sinker curves 69,71.

As can be seen in the right part of the cross-sectional view of FIG. 9,taken along the line IX—IX, the down sinker 12 and the piling sinker 13are guided by corresponding projections in the grooves or cam curves 14for the down sinker or 15 for the piling sinker, respectively. As aresult, they carry out a movement orthogonal on the needle or on theneedle circle 18, 18′, respectively. This movement, which is radial(relative to the rotating cylinder), of the sinkers 12, 13 is carriedout when the sinkers disposed in a side-by-side relationship move in thedirection of arrow 1 through the segments 16 of the sinker cam.

The system groups X on the sinker cam and on the cylinder cam mustalways present the same system division in mutual opposition so thatneedles and sinkers may cooperate in synchrony in the desired manner.FIG. 9 hence continues the example of FIG. 5 in which a two-coloredplush is produced from a base system G1 and two pile loop systems H1,H2.

The function of the sinker cams relative to the system group X is asfollows:

Base system G1:

Plush and down sinkers are retracted from the needle circle during thecomplete formation of the loops and pile loops (terminal region G1.X).In the needle draw-in region (starting region G1.1) both sinkers areadvanced towards the needle circle for preparing the course of basestitches.

Pile loop systems H1, H2, H3:

The down sinkers pass through these systems in a slightly retractedposition and remain without function. The piling sinkers are positionedin an advanced position relative to the needle circle, forming the pileloops. The functions of the pile loop systems H1, H2, H3 are identical.

FIG. 10 illustrates the needle curve, the sinker cam 69 of the downsinker 12 as well as the sinker cam 71 of the piling sinker 13 inparallel for the system group X. The cooperation of the element, whichwill be explained below, will become apparent from this constellation.

The stitch and loop formation in a course of stitches takes place withinthe system group X that consists of a base system G1 and two pile loopsystems H1, H2. The various needle positions I to X relate to the FIGS.11 to 20 and correspond to the process of stitch and pile loop formationon the individual systems.

What can be seen here is the needle curve 66 that is defined by the headof the needle 10 in the direction of movement 65 relative to the lowerstitch knock-over edge 60 of the down sinker 12. The curve 69 of thedown sinker 12 (enclosing groove) is illustrated underneath. The arrow68 identifies the direction of movement of the down sinkers relative tothe needle circle 67. The lowermost diagram shows the curve 70 of thepiling sinker (orthogonal presser edge). The arrow 70 identifies herethe direction of movement of the piling sinker relative to the needlecircle 67.

Moreover, the upper knock-over edge 61 and the enclosing groove 62 ofthe down sinker, the upper knock-over edge 64 and the lower knock-overedge 63 of the piling sinker 13 as well as the direction of movement 1of the needles and sinkers in the peripheral direction are illustratedhere.

The needle and sinker functions in the process of stitch and pile loopformation on the various systems are as follows:

Base system G1, starting region G1.1:

All needles are driven out into the knitting position, take up the baseyarn and are drawn in up to tucking on the needle (needle positions I toIII).

Pile loop system H1:

Needles for color 1 are driven out into the knitting position incorrespondence with the pattern, take up the pile loop yarn (color 1)and are drawn in up to tucking on the needle. Needles guided in acircular movement constitute a floater (needle positions IV to VI).

Pile loop system H2:

Needles for color 2 are driven out into the knitting position incorrespondence with the pattern, take up the pile loop yarn (color 2)and are drawn in up to tucking on the needle. Needles guided in acircular movement constitute a floater (needle positions VII to IX).

Base system G1, knitting region G1.X:

All needles are drawn into the stitch knock-over position for finalcouliering. Couliering of all stitches in one course of stitches arecompleted (needle position X).

The individual phases in the production of two-colored plush areillustrated in FIGS. 11 to 20. Here, an inventive down sinker 112 aswell as an inventive piling sinker 113 are used.

The functional range of the piling sinker 113 is shown in more detailsin FIG. 21. What can be seen here are the two parallel planes 90, 91presented by the piling sinker 113 on its upper side so as to enable thecouliering of a pile loop yarn. Which of the planes 90, 91 isrespectively used for couliering can be controlled by the radial advanceof the piling sinker 113.

According to FIG. 22, the down and knock-over sinker 112—like the knownholding-down sinkers—comprises a knock-over edge 98 via which thefinished stitch is knocked over, as well as an upper edge 95 via whichthe base yarn is couliered. In distinction from conventional downsinkers for the production of a plush fabric, the inventive down sinker112, however, comprises a bipartite nose with the parallel crossbars 96and 97. These crossbars serve to tension pile loops of precedingstitches. As pile loops of different pile heights are knitted inaccordance with the invention the tensioning action is performed via theedge 96 or 97 that matches the respective pile height.

The production of a plush-type knit fabric with more than two pile loopsis also possible, of course, in which case the piling sinker ought topresent a corresponding number of couliering planes whilst the downsinker ought to present a corresponding number of crossbars fortensioning.

In accordance with FIGS. 11 to 20, the process in an inventive circularknitting machine proceeds through a system group X in the followingsteps:

Needle position I, FIG. 11 (base system G1, starting region G1.1, baseyarn):

Home position of needle 10, down sinker 112 and piling sinker 113.

The needle is positioned for a circular movement. The needle head isflush with the lower stitch knock-over edge 98 of the down sinker 112.The dual-yarn stitch formed last, which consists of the base and thepile loop yarns, is suspended in the needle head. The piling sinker isadvanced to the needle.

Needle position II, FIG. 12 (base system G1, central region G1.1, baseyarn):

Yarn feeding position for the base yarn G.

The needle has been raised into the knitting position. It takes up thebase yarn G from the yarn feeder 80 by means of the opened needle head.The stitch formed last has been slipped over the opened needle tongueonto the needle shaft. The down sinker has been advanced to the fronttowards the needle and tensions the previously formed pile loop over theupper crossbar 96. This tensioning action can be adjusted. The downsinker is in the clearing or holding-down position. The stitch formedlast is held in the enclosing groove. The piling sinker is in theretracted position opposite the needle. It is without function.

Needle position III, FIG. 13 (base system G1, terminal region G1.1, baseyarn):

Couliering position for the base yarn.

The needle has been drawn in into the couliering position (tucking onthe needle). The base yarn has been couliered over the upper knock-overedge of the down sinker to form a loop. The size of the loop can beadjusted.

The stitched formed last is not knocked over. It remains on the closedneedle head. The pre-couliered base yarn loop is held between the needlehead and the upper knock-over edge of the down sinker. The stitch formedlast is held in the enclosing groove. The piling sinker has beenadvanced to the front towards the needle.

Needle position IV, FIG. 14a (pile loop system H1, pile loop yarn F1):

Yarn feeding position for the pile loop yarn F1, color 1:

A needle 10 a selected for color 1 has been raised into the knittingposition. It takes up the pile loop yarn F1 (color 1) by means of theopened needle head. The pre-couliered base yarn loop is held intensioned condition around the needle by the orthogonal presser edge ofthe piling sinker. This tensioning action can be adjusted over theentire system width H1. The stitch formed last is held in the enclosinggroove.

Needle position IV′, FIG. 14b (pile loop system H1, pile loop yarn F1):

Circular movement of a non-selected needle 10 b.

The needle has not been selected from color 1. It passes through thesystem H1 in the circular movement position. The pile loop yarn F1(color 1) forms a floater. The pre-couliered base yarn loop is held intensioned condition around the needle by the vertical presser edge ofthe piling sinker. This tensioning action can be adjusted over theentire system width H1. The stitched formed last is held in theenclosing groove).

Needle position V, FIG. 15 (pile loop system H1, pile loop yarn F1):

Loop formation with the pile loop yarn F1 (color 1).

The needle 10 a (selected in correspondence with needle position IV) isguided downwards and draws a pile loop over the upper knock-over edge ofthe piling sinker.

Needles 10 b guided in a circular movement, by contrast, form a floater.

The pre-couliered base yarn loop is held in tensioned condition aroundthe needle by the vertical presser edge of the piling sinker. The stitchformed last is held in the enclosing groove).

Needle position VI, FIG. 16 (pile loop system H1, pile loop yarn F1):

Couliering position for the pile loop yarn F1 (color 1).

The piling sinker has been retracted from the needle 10 a. In thecouliering position, the needle is drawn in (tucking on the needle). Thepile loop yarn F1 (color 1) is couliered over the middle knock-over edge90 of the piling sinker to form a pile loop. The size of the loop can beadjusted. The base yarn and the pile loop yarn F1 (color 1) are enclosedin the needle head. Both yarns form loops. The stitch formed last is notknocked over. It is enclosed in the enclosing groove and remains on theclosed needle head.

Needle position VII, FIG. 17a (pile loop system H2, pile loop yarn F2):

Circular movement of a non-selected needle 10 a.

The needle has not been selected for color 2. It passes through thesystem H2 in the circular movement position. The pile loop yarn F2(color 2) constitutes a floater. The pre-couliered base yarn loop isheld in tensioned condition around the needle by the vertical presseredge of the piling sinker. This tensioning action can be adjusted overthe entire system width H2. The stitch formed last is held in theenclosing groove.

Needle position VII′, FIG. 17b (pile loop system H2, pile loop yarn F2):

Yarn feeding position for the pile loop yarn F2 (color 2).

A needle lob selected for color 2 has been raised into the knittingposition. It takes up the pile loop yarn F2 by the opened needle head(color 2). The pre-couliered base yarn loop is held in a tensionedcondition around the needle by the vertical presser edge of the pilingsinker. The stitch formed last is held in the enclosing groove. Thefloating pile loop yarn F1 of color 1 is urged towards the inside ontothe needle back by the upper step of the piling sinker when the needleis driven out.

Needle position VIII, FIG. 18 (pile loop system H2, pile loop yarn F2):

Loop formation with the pile loop yarn F2 (color 2).

The selected needle 10 b (according to the needle position VII) ispassed downwards and draws a pile loop over the upper knock-over edge ofthe piling sinker. The pre-couliered base yarn loop is held in tensionedcondition around the needle by the vertical presser edge of the pilingsinker. The stitch formed last is held in the enclosing groove.

Needle position IX, FIG. 19 (pile loop system H2, pile loop yarn F2):

Couliering position for the pile loop yarn F2 (color 2).

The piling sinker has been retracted from the needle 10 b. In thecouliering position, the needle is drawn in (tucking on the needle). Thepile loop yarn F2 (color 2) is couliered over the lower knock-over edge91 of the piling sinker to form a pile loop. The loop size isadjustable. The base yarn and the pile loop yarn F2 (color 2) areenclosed in the needle head. Both yarns form loops. The stitch formedlast is not knocked over. It is enclosed in the enclosing groove andremains on the needle head.

Needle position X, FIG. 20 (base system G1, knitting region G1.X):

Final couliering and stitch knock-over position.

The down sinker and the piling sinker are retracted from the needles 10a, 10 b and release the loop of the pile loop yarn and the loop of thebase yarn. The loops of the base yarn G and the pile loop yarn F1 or F2(colors 1 or 2) are drawn through the stitch formed last and knockedover via the lower knock-over edge of the down sinker.

With the beginning of the following system group, the succession ofoperating steps of the needle position is repeated. The stitch suspendedin the needle head is knocked over at the end of the following systemgroup.

What is claimed is:
 1. A piling sinker for a circular knitting machine,said sinker being configured for reciprocating movement in said knittingmachine, said piling sinker further comprising an upper side adapted forengaging a yarn, said upper side of said sinker having at least twoplanes of differing height, said planes being configured for engagingand manipulating a pile loop yarn into loops of at least two differentheights.
 2. A holding-down and knock-over sinker for circular knittingmachine, said sinker being configured for tensioning a pile loop yarn inthe construction of a knitted fabric, said sinker being furthercomprising an upper knock over edge, said upper knock over edge adaptedfor engaging a yarn, said sinker having a bipartite nose portion uponsaid knock over edge, said bipartite nose portion having at least-twoplanes adapted for tensioning pile loop yarns into at least two distinctpile heights.
 3. A circular knitting machine for the production of aplush knitted fabric having a pile with loop yarns of at least twodistinct heights, said machine comprising: a. needles for forming loopsand pile loops, said needles being configured for reciprocation underthe control of a lifting cam along a needle cam, b. a holding-down andknock-over sinker and a piling sinker, said respective sinkers beingdisposed in parallel to each other, said sinkers being configured forreciprocating movement with respect to said needles, said movement beingunder the control of said sinker cam, said sinker cam applying saidcontrol by employing a respective sinker curve to assist in coordinatingmovement of said sinkers, c. control elements for applying and selectingsaid needles in correspondence with a pre-determined pattern, saidcontrol elements being comprised in part of at least one lifting cam,said cam being configured for controlling the movement of a givenselected needle at its location, d. a yarn feeding means for supplying abase yarn as well as at least two pile loop yarns, said yarn feedingmeans further comprising a piling sinker, said piling sinker beingconfigured for reciprocating movement within said knitting machine, saidpiling sinker further comprising an upper side adapted for engaging ayarn, said upper side of said sinker having at least two planes ofdiffering height, said planes being configured for engaging a pile loopyarn into loops of at least two different heights.
 4. A circularknitting machine according to claim 3, further comprising a holding-downand knock-over sinker, said holding-down and knock-over sinker beingconfigured for tensioning a pile loop yarn in the construction of aknitted fabric, said sinker further comprising an upper knock-over-edge,said upper knock-over-edge adapted for coilering a yarn, said sinkerhaving a bipartite nose portion upon said knock over edge, saidbipartite nose portion having at least two planes adapted for tensioninga pile loop yarn into at least two distinct pile heights.